Intro to SociologyCounselling Tutorial

Applying Conflict theory, Structural Functionalism theory & Symbolic Interactionism theory to

Māori Crime

Dr Rawiri Waretini-Karena

Learning Outcome• Outline a selected social issue and use statistics to demonstrate why

it is an issue in the New Zealand context.• Identify and summarise the key concepts of each of the three core

sociological perspectives• Explain the selected social issue from the structural functionalist

perspective• Explain the selected social issue from the Conflict theory perspective• Explain the selected social issue from the symbolic interactionist

perspective• Identify impacts for Māori

Māori Crime• What is your understanding of Māori crime?

Definition• Crime is a behaviour that breaks the formal written laws of

a society.• If someone commits a crime they can be arrested,

charged, and prosecuted. Actions can be illegal but not deviant.

• Māori crime highlights criminal behaviour towards NZ law and order whose legislative positioning has not taken into account historical contexts in New Zealand society

Māori Crime a fact of life• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYlWLJ0lvfc&list=PLEUXiVJriwFlm

0tqIpvqpxUeBYCs7SCg3

Discussion• What are key points in this video?

• From 1997 Māori apprehensions increased by 10% where as total apprehensions only increased by 4%

• Although Māori were 13% population in 2006 they accounted for 43% of all police apprehensions

• 72% Māori apprehensions were resolved by prosecution compared to 66% NZ European• 13% Māori convicted received custodial sentences compared to 8% NZ European• Māori account for 54% in remand compared to 30% NZ European and 9% Pacifica

Māori crime statistics• Area

1. Prison 2. Young offenders3. Violent crimes4. Dishonesty

offences

• Percentage

1.While only 14.5 % of the NZ population make up over 50% of the prison population for males and 60% prison population for females

2.20% will continue crime into adulthood

3.Increased from 10.3 % in 2002-3 to 11.6 % in 2004-5

4.Make up 60% of all Māori crime

(NZ Herald, 2005)

ProfessorGreg Newbold

Western culture

Doctorate

CriminologistSociologist

Canterbury University

Newbold’s authority

Discussion• When you are dealing with someone who holds the

qualifications Professor Newbold holds, what impressions do you gain?

Structural Functionalism• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jOZqVnQmdY

Discussion• What are key points in this video?

NZ Governor General

NZ Cabinet NZ Parliament Judicial

NZ Business Round Table

Working Class

The application of dominant ideologies – influence through institutional power

Quote• Giddens (2002) conveys that; “power is the ability of individuals

or groups to make their own interests or concerns count” (p. 421).

DominantDiscourseideologies

Norms

Assumptions/ stereo types

Myths

Structural Functionalism summary• Attitudes of structural functionalists are traditional and up hold the status

quo of the dominant discourse • Structural functionalists believe in efficiency, and that due to society

running a certain way for a long time that it is efficient and- must be adhered to

• Perceptions of a person are not based on their skill level but other perceptions ie; gender, age, culture.

• Traditional biases such as money plus wealth= success= power also play a role in the way structural functionalists view society

• Cultural revolution & social change challenges the status quo perspective of structural functionalists

Conflict theory• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_c2p0Y7mgU

Discussion• What are key points in this video?

UpperClass

Middle Class

Working class

Creates industry

Implements social infrastructure

Keeps working classIn line

Conflict theory summary• Conflict theory argues that inequalities of groups in society evolved

through feudalism, capitalism and socialism concepts of the economic system

• It establishes that classism exists where the rich get richer by stacking the economic system in their favour, and the poor get poorer due to being impacted by the decisions the upper class implements to gain more production at less cost

• To mitigate tension between the upper and lower class, a middle class was created

• The middle class acts as a buffer between the upper class and the working class

Conflict theory summaryanother point to consider is….• The wealthy (National & international Corporations) do not contribute

to New Zealand taxes due to their perception of creating industry• The wealthy (National & international Corporations) have an ability to

move their wealth around and use loop holes to get around taxes• The middle class (You and I ) pay from 28%-35% tax upholding both

the upper and working class system

Symbolic Interactionism• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFQIIM8IRZU

Discussion• What did you gain about Symbolic Interactionism from this video?

Conflict Theory perspective

Structural Functionalism perspective Symbolic Interactionism perspective

Conflict theoryThese people do not contribute to society throughEmployment, do not pay taxes, and represent a burden on the economic system

Symbolic InteractionismThese people are anti social, would notLike to meet in a dark alley, aredisrespectful to society, are well represented in gangs, drugs,violence and criminal activity

Structural FunctionalismTheir behaviour and what they represent falls outside of what isconsidered normal and propersocietal behaviour

Māori Crime

Symbolic Interactionism summaryIt explains the individual in society based on what they representIt explains concepts of social order and changePeople can change based on their interaction to jobs, ideas, other people1. We act based on the meaning we give to something2. We give meaning to things based on social interaction3. Some thing we give meaning to, may have a different meaning to

others4. The meaning we give something is not permanent it can be changed

due to every day life

Impact for Māori

Discussion• What are impacts for Māori?

Māori Crime

perspective impacts

Structural FunctionalismTheir behaviour and what they represent is considered indicative of the entire Māori race

Symbolic InteractionismBecause of what Māori crime represents in society, none of them can be trusted

Conflict theory It is because of what Māori represent in society that makes

them inferior, so therefore can only be given limited employment opportunities that best support their disposition * Rural to urban migration – Factories, contract

work, labouring positions

Things not taken into consideration• All three theories are based on Western dominant discourses• They do not take into account Te Tiriti o Waitangi, partnership,

protection, participation• Māori worldviews• Histories before Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed• The aftermath of war, legislative violations and confiscation of land• While compensation has been financial, the psychological impacts

that have spilled over from previous generations have not been addressed

Quote• Central to this story is the appropriation and alienation of almost 95% of

Māori land from the 19th century well into the twentieth century.• The treaty settlement process has provided an important form of

redress, acknowledging that the NZ Crown’s acquisition of land was often flawed ‘to a lesser degree’ and the excessive land loss had a harmful effect on Māori social and economic development in general.

• Settlements to date have produced compensation of about 1.48 billion, an amount that has to be considered against the impact of the almost total loss of an economic base for over more than a century

(Rashbrooke, M, 2013, p. 4)

Analysis of three theories• Structural functionalism applies institutional racism due to only

taking into account perspectives that uphold status quos of the dominant discourse

• Conflict theory implemented societal racism by keeping Māori out of the economic system for over 100 years

• Symbolic interactionism applies personal racism by subjugating Māori to inferior positions based on the way Māori are perceived institutionally.

Ramifications• Structural functionalist perspectives create laws that limit the

capacity for Māori to make a living ie No customary Māori land is allowed to be developed, banks or finance companies will not lend out loans against customary Māori land.

• Traditional Māori knowledge and customary healing practices ( etc rongoa) are considered alternative and not supported in main stream curriculum

• The foundation of Te Tiriti o Waitangi that gives credence to both Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti is not part of NZ Legal infrastructure

Analysis of Māori crime• All Māori who commit crimes are responsible for their actions• Underlying themes behind Māori crime are also interwoven with NZ’s

colonial history• Māori crime is a by-product of poverty that can also be

intergenerational• Māori crime stems from the destruction of Māori traditional society

Destruction of Māori society• Bedggood (1978) argues that “the penetration of the capitalist mode

of production and the destruction of the Māori occurred at three levels, economic, political and ideological”... The use of state force to break the elders control of Māori society was necessary... By the destruction of Māori society the state, as midwife of history, introduced the capitalist mode of production in New Zealand”(p. 286).

Responding to Professor Greg Newbold• Uses two sociological theories to validate his statements about Māori

crime. They are;• Labelling theory• Deviance theory

Labelling theory• Giddens (2002) explains : “labelling theorists neglect the processes

that leads to acts defined as deviant (p.211)

Deviance theory• Giddens (2002) Conflict theorists argue that, individuals actively

choose to engage in deviant behaviour in response to the inequalities of the capitalist system (p. 212).

Sociology theories to justify discrimination

Deviance theory Labelling theory

Symbolic interaction theory

Structural Functionalism theory

Deficit Theories

QuoteReid (2013) argues that; discrimination is a socially structured and

sanctioned phenomenon... Intended to maintain privileges for members of dominant groups at the cost of deprivation for others (p.31).

Moana Jackson• Young Māori ... are the beneficiary

of past racial policies and the victim of present racial attitudes. Young Māori are a people moulded in their perceptions and behaviours by the consequences of those policies and attitudes because “the circumstances that destroy a culture are the circumstances that induce crime” (Netter, 1978, cited in Jackson, 1988). Moana Jackson

Pūtaketanga Theory

• Pū= Origin Take= Issue Tanga= action• It is the process of tracking an issue back to its origin

Underlying theorists• Dr Rapata Wiri advocates that mātauranga Māori perspectives

should have a whakapapa, and be based on tikanga Māori principles and values.

• Dr Jacquelyn Elkington & Dr Jenny Bol Jun Lee advocate that Pūrākau from a counselling & educational perspective peels back layers of stories

Pūtaketanga Theory• Pūtaketanga theory advocates that everything has a genealogy

or a whakapapa• It therefore surmises that nothing manifests from out of thin air.

Dr Rawiri Waretini-Karena 2014

Pūtaketanga model

• This model contextualises theories and perspectives by asking what are underlying factors that contribute to societal issues.

• The model is representative of a stone being dropped into a pond creating ripples

• Sometimes these ripples are intergenerational

Root cause

Contributing Factor

1

Contributing Factor

2

Contributing Factor

3

Māori Crime

Pūtaketanga model application

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Māori crim

e

Assimilation

Poverty

War &

confiscation of land

Legislative violations

1852 NZ

Constitution Act

Epigenetic Research• “Epigenetic research has

discovered that at a cellular level, stress/ trauma from one generation can be carried to the next generation (Walters, K, 2012).

Professor Karina Walters (Choctaw)Foremost authority on Indigenous experiences of Historical Intergenerational Trauma

Treaty of Waitangi Legislative violations - Critical Analysis

Breaching TOW – To confiscate Land & resources Consequences of Breaching TOW for Tangata Whenua

Native lands Act 1862 designed to break down communal ownership.Native reserves Act 1864: All remaining reserve land put under settler control of the Crown.

This legislation created intergenerational impoverishment

Breaching TOW - By blocking all forms of redress & accountability for fraudulent actions Consequences of Breaching TOW for Tangata Whenua –

Suppression of Rebellion Act 1863• No right to trial before imprisonment. Its intention was to punish certain tribes

for perceptions of rebelling against the Crown.

• This piece of legislation through its practice was discriminatory and traumatised hapū who stood for their rights in defending their people, land and resources

Breaching TOW – Using legislation to Assimilate & subjugate Māori culture / language& identity. Consequences of Breaching TOW for Tangata Whenua

The Native Schools Act: 1867 • Schools would assist in the process of assimilation. 1871 • A Government stipulation that instruction in Native Schools had to be in English only• Tohunga Suppression Act: 1908 • Penalties were imposed on tohunga (experts in Maori medicine and Maori spirituality).

• These pieces of legislation were used to assimilate to western ways of thinking resulting in the removal of Māori cultural heritage, Māori language, Māori identity, Māori principles, protocols, and Indigenous ways of existing

Intergenerational impact & Transference- across generations

Created intergenerationalimpoverishmentSubjected Māori to assimilation policies

• Subjecting Tangata Whenua to becoming paupers on their land

• Loss of traditional ways of existing

• Near extinction of Māori language

• Marginalization of cultural knowledge & cultural identity

Doctrine of DiscoveryHistory of Colonisation 1300-1400s

Te Tiriti o Waitangi 1840

Contextualising HIT

Coveting IndigenousLands &resources

MāoriLandloss

Coveting MāoriLand & recourses

Contextual historical intergenerational trauma in genealogy

Generation 4

1840 - 1940

Relationship with the Colonials

Great Grandfather:

Te Nahu Te Kuri Waretini- Weteni.

Fought in the Waikato invasion against the British empire1863Exiled with King Tawhiao into the King country.Fought along side Rewi Maniapoto and Tuhoe at Orakau Pa

Legislative Violations:

Native Lands ActSuppression of Rebellion Act 1863Waikato InvasionNative Schools act 1863Tohunga suppression Act

Generation 3

1920’s-1989

Aftermath of colonial assimilation

Grand Father:

Kapa (Tom) Te Wharua Waretini Weteni

Brought up by Princess Te Puea

Helped build Turangawaewae MaraeSpoke Maori but was caned and punished in school.Fought in World War TwoMoved away from Māori culture for western religion

Legislative violations:

Native Schools Act 1867Tohunga Suppression Act 1908Native Health Act 1909WW2Hunn Report 1961

Generation 2

1946 – 1996

Once were Warriors generation

Father:

Raymond Bartholomew Waretini Karena

Welder-Boilermaker

New Urban Māori

Under valued anything MaoriDidn’t learn tikanga-cultural heritagePut his friends before his familyAbused his wife and children

Legislative Violations:

Hunn Report 1961Pepper potting systemRural to Urban migration

Generation 1

Rediscovering cultural heritage

Mokopuna:

Rawiri-David-Waretini-Junior :Karena

Musician - Lecturer:

Grew up with no identity

Did not know my native language or culture.Wasn’t taught tikanga, kawa principles or valuesSuffered years of child abuseWent on to change the cycle and get an education

Legislative Violations:

Pu Ao Te AtatuNZ Constitution Act 1986Fore shore & Seabed 2004Takutai Moana Bill 2010Oil drillingAsset salesFrackingTPPA

QuoteWe grow up in the face of our histories, born into environments constructed by others

Waretini-Karena 2014

Raupatu Settlement Claim-1995

• Queen Elizabeth II gives an official Royal Apology for the invasion of the Waikato in July 1863.

• Queen Elizabeth II acknowledges that the action of the British Empire and the New Zealand Settler Government was wrong.

• Queen Elizabeth II also acknowledges that Waikato Tainui were not rebelling, but were protecting their lands, assets and families

• The value of the land that was confiscated had an estimate of 18 Billion dollars

• Waikato Tainui had land returned to them as well as $170 Million dollars

Royal Apology

• Although economically Waikato Tainui have over come impacts stemming from colonisation, the psychological and intergenerational impacts are still evident.

Profit versus Wellbeing

1/1/1995

1/1/1996

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1/1/1998

1/1/1999

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1/1/2002

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1/1/2012

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1/1/2014

1/1/2015051015202530354045

Waikato Tainui Profit versus Wellbeing chartFrom the confiscation of 1 million acres in 1864 to 170 Million 1995- 1 Billion 2015

Profit Wellbeing

Waikato Tainui focus today• Net worth of 1.1 Billion dollars• Developed initiatives for health, wellbeing & social services• Focuses on education, research & Te Reo Māori language (Waikato

dialect) as a prerogative• Establishes housing initiatives for Waikato Tainui people

Discussion• Any thoughts about todays lesson?

Reference• Bedggood, D. (1978). New Zealand’s semi-colonial development. Department of

Sociology. University of Auckland: New Zealand• Giddens, A.(2002). Sociology. (4th ed.) Cambridge: UK. Blackwell Publishers Ltd• New Zealand Herald. (2005, Oct 28). Māori crime a concern for government. Retrieved

August 13 2015 from:http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10352444

• Rashbrooke, M.(2013). Inequality in New Zealand. In Rashbrook, M (Ed). Inequality: A New Zealand crisis. Wellington: New Zealand. Bridget Williams Books Ltd

• Walters, K. (2012).Embodiment of historical trauma and micro aggression distress.[motion picture] Retrieved August 14 2015 from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzPNWTD56S8